In China, foreign correspondents see worsening conditions

Many international correspondents in China believe reporting
conditions have worsened over the past year, according to a new survey by the Foreign
Correspondents' Club of China that also finds the Chinese government has "increasingly
resorted to threats and intimidation against foreign media."

The FCCC's annual survey, distributed by email this week,
notes that that the past year "has seen unprecedented examples of investigative
journalism by western reporters in China." (A PDF of the survey is here.)
But many correspondents report heightened tensions as well. Of the 98
respondents to the survey, 70 percent said that working conditions have
worsened or stayed the same as compared to the previous year. The journalists'
list of complaints was telling:

Government retaliation
against foreign media that have incurred official displeasure

Threats to the physical safety of reporters whose reports
have offended the authorities

Increased cyber harassment and hacking attacks on foreign
journalists

Continuing restrictions on journalists' movements in
Tibetan-inhabited areas of China

Bob Dietz, coordinator of CPJ’s Asia Program, has reported across the continent for news outlets such as CNN and Asiaweek. He has led numerous CPJ missions, including ones to Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Follow him on Twitter @cpjasia and Facebook @ CPJ Asia Desk.